Day 06 - Northumberland: Hadrian's Wall, Lindisfarne Priory, Lindisfarne Holy Island

Opening reflection: Question to frame the day: What does it mean to be in the world but not of the world? John says in 3:16 for God so LOVED THE WORLD, but later says in 1 Jn 2 we should LOVE NOT THE WORLD. We are called to be a holy people, set apart for God, but sent into the world on mission. So what can we learn from the monks who pulled away from the world, and even the hermits who (discontent at monasteries) moved even further into continual isolation in order to deepen holiness? How can we ground our modern faith in those ancient roots - continuing to be a holy people set apart, and yet remain in the world? Reflections below…

We departed Newcastle this morning and arrived at Hadrian's Wall Homesteads Roman Fort (outdide Wexham, England). The Romans conquered Britannia in 43 AD, and in 122 AD at the zenith of the Roman Empire’s reach, Emperor Hadrian stopped short and decided to build a wall to defend the Roman province of Britannia (roughly England) from the Celtic northern tribes in the region they called Caledonia (roughly Scotland). This wall was the western and northern border not only of the Empire but also the known world. Why include it on a Biblical studies tour? The ancient proverb “All roads lead to Rome” also means all roads lead FROM Rome, so the gospel could advance quickly not only through Italy and Greece and Turkey, but also North Africa, Gaul, Hispania, and all the way to Britain. Walking the Roman fort and wall here reminds us of the impact of the Romans on the ancient world - and how the Romans aided in the spread of the gospel.

Further north, we traveled up through Northumbria to Lindisfarne, Holy Island. In 635 AD, the local Anglo-Saxon King Oswalt invited the Irish Monk St Aiden to come from Iona (a remote monastery on the west coast of Scotland) to Lindisfarne to establish a center for Christian learning and mission work among northern Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. Aiden was followed by Cuthbert (670’s AD), whose relics made Lindisfarne a popular pilgrimage site. Following Cuthbert’s death, the monks at Lindisfarne produced perhaps the most famous and important Biblical Manuscripts of the first millennium - the beautifully illuminated Lindisfarne Gospels, now on display in the British Library. The ruins we saw today represented various centuries of Christian ministry from 635. Combined with ongoing worship at the adjacent Anglican St. Mary’s Church, there has been 1400 years of ongoing Christian worship at this site. 

Closing reflection: Seeing the remote monastery - and even MORE REMOTE little island that Cuthbert retreated to as a hermit begs the question we began with - what does it mean to be in the world but not of the world? We are called to be a holy people, set apart from the world for God. But we are also called by God to His mission - back into the world. Jesus said, “As the father sent Me, so also I send you” - i.e. to the world, to the dark. And so God gave us rhythms - a time to retreat to be filled, not as an end in itself, but to be shared with others. There is a time for solitude with God - and a time for fellowship and mission. In developing ancient roots for modern faith, we can learn from the old monks and even hermits the value of self-discipline and sacrifice. But let us not over-love isolation in the name of purification and holiness. May we be filled with God in solitude, so that we may better love one another in fellowship, and better serve the world in mission. God’s grace calls us in - to send us out. So in the example of the learned and devoted monks there is a lesson - and a warning. May we follow their example in holy devotion to God, but then apply that devotion as God does - in fellowship with His people and mission to the world. How lovely on the mountains are the feet of those (not who hide there but) who bring good news! 

We ended the day with a drive around the northwest corner of England, up into Scotland and over to Edinburgh, where we will complete our tour tomorrow along the royal mile...